Stage Door is an interesting ensemble film directed by Gregory LaCava. Its cast includes Ginger Rogers, Katharine Hepburn, Gail Patrick, Andrea Leeds, Eve Arden, Lucille Ball and Ann Miller.
LaCava wanted a spontaneous, conversational style from the young cast. He gave them a loose idea of what he wanted and then he listened to their conversations with each other and used a lot of what they said and how they said it for the film. This made for an entertaining story with superb acting - especially that of Ginger Rogers and Katharine Hepburn. Hepburn had been in a series of flops and this film re-established her box office appeal. Ginger Rogers was the darling of RKO and a very popular money maker for that studio with all those popular musicals she made with Fred Astaire. This being the case, I can't understand how Hepburn got first billing over Rogers. Maybe she had a better agent. Both women are terrific and Ginger showed all those who thought she was only a very able dance partner to Astaire that she could act quite successfully with the likes of Hepburn.